Friday, September 8, 2017

Vancouver Police Museum

The Vancouver Police Museum is a fascinating part of Vancouver's history and one of the favourite investigation locations of NPI. This beautiful building dates back to 1932 and is designated an official Vancouver Heritage Building. It was once used as a hospital in 1935 during the Battle of the Ballantyne Pier. It also served as the Coroner’s Court and autopsy facility (until 1980) and the City Analyst’s laboratory (until 1996).

Inside the museum is a wide array of exhibits, including those that explore the foundations of Vancouver's police force, and its current-day initiatives, such as gang control.

One of the most popular attractions is the original Coroner's Court morgue and autopsy facility. This historical setting also plays host to "True Crimes" which goes beyond the headlines to highlight the scientific and investigative techniques used to solve some of Vancouver’s most chilling crimes; an exciting display featuring real evidence and artefacts from several of Vancouver's high-profile cases such as the Castellani Milkshake Murder and Errol Flynn’s autopsy.

To date, the museum staff have curated a selection of approximately 20,000 historical artefacts, including confiscated weapons, counterfeit currency, photographs, paperwork, and vintage police vehicles. Currently, 40 percent of the collection is on display in the museum’s several exhibits.

The museum also offers educational programs such as walking tours and a two-hour forensic-science program. During this program, guests scour a faux crime scene for clues and try to prevent the brash, young rookie cop from running off into the night to find the perpetrator.

There are also many other fun activities to enjoy, such as criminal artist sketching stations and educational video games.

For history buffs and crime buffs alike, The Vancouver Police Museum is well worth a visit.